Candidates do the ‘one foot in, one foot out’ dance

Things are getting plenty confusing about who is running for office this fall, and who isn’t.And that’s probably the intent.

Learn from your mistakes

One thing I learned a long time ago in my newspaper career is that mistakes happen.You do everything you can to avoid them, but every now and then a misspelled word, the wrong photo or a typo in a headline sneaks into print.It’s the nature of the business.Our newspapers are small operations, and we...

Investing in our children

Earlier this month, Nebraska families gained access to one of the most significant investments in the next generation that Washington has made in years.On July 4, 2026, tax-advantaged federal child savings accounts — known as Trump Accounts — became available to every U.S. citizen under the age of...

Providence smiled on Washington

I recently saw the movie “Young Washington,” which premiered on July 3rd and details the early life of the man who came to be known as the Father of Our Country.

Second verse, same as the first — more budget cuts needed

Reporters take a lot of notes, and as I recall, the notes I took during 2023 when the state approved dramatic cuts in state sales taxes had supporters saying: “don’t worry, if the state gets into financial straits, it could pause the cuts.”Well, let’s fast forward to today.Gov. Jim Pillen, in a...

History worth preserving

On July 4, 2026, we celebrated 250 years of the greatest experiment in self-governance the world has ever known — the United States of America.

Conservation impacted due to USDA staff cuts

For producers, federal conservation programs are complex compared to straightforward transactions with equipment or seed vendors.

A piece of my childhood

You never know what you’ll find when you walk into a thrift store.A few weeks ago, I wandered into one for the first time and stumbled across something that instantly took me back more than 30 years.Sitting on a shelf was the exact pocket watch I had as a kid.It featured the Tasmanian Devil from...

What is socialism?

Socialism is a system in which the government controls the economy, owns major businesses and tries to make everyone equal by taking from some people and giving to others. In practice, it causes great damage in many ways.

Making the ‘Good Life’ even better

Last week, I spent the Senate’s July state work period on the ground in the Good Life listening to my fellow Nebraskans and learning new ways I can advocate for them in Washington.